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Could This Man Possibly Be The Fittest Human Alive?

He's currently swimming 3200km around mainland Britain, so he's a definite contender - by Scott Henderson
  • 23 Jul 2018
Could This Man Possibly Be The Fittest Human Alive?
Instagram/rossedgely

What challenge do you set yourself once you’ve successfully completed a marathon while pulling a Mini Cooper behind you?

Surely you would attempt the world’s most consecutive rope climbs, reaching the equivalent height of Mount Everest in under 24 hours. Or maybe you swim 126km across the open ocean, while towing a log behind you. But what challenge do you tackle when you’ve completed all of these super human feats? What can possible be next?

That was the conundrum facing turbo-athlete Ross Edgley earlier this year. The sports scientist, lecturer, fitness expert and overly qualified author of The World’s Fittest Book needed a new challenge, and he found it again in the ocean.

On June 1st, Edgley set out from Margate Harbour in the UK in a world first attempt to circumnavigate Britain, swimming entirely around the 3218km long coastline.

“[One of Edgley’s mates] mentioned the idea of swimming around the entirety of Britain – something that’s never been done before – and I thought, 'why not?',” explained Edgley to Redbull. “I also can’t write a book and call it The World's Fittest Book without being able to back it up in a big way!"

rossedgley View Profile
7,904 likes - View Post on Instagram
Swim GAINZ :-) After 23 days (and over 500km) LOTS of people asking me if muscle mass hinders endurance (both cardiorespiratory and muscular). My short answer: It's highly dependant on the sport. My longer answer needs FAR more explaining (topic for my @lborouniversity lectures?) BUT consider this... Studies show whether you're running, walking or crawling as soon as you add weight you burn more calories, according to scientists from the Chaim Sheba Medical g who found the additional weight leads to a, "Significant increase in energy (calorie) cost over time." What's more it's not just energy (bioenergetics) but research published by the European Journal of Applied Physiology and Occupational Physiology examined the influence carrying 10kg, 20kg and 30kg of weight had on the cardiorespiratory system (heart and lungs). After measuring oxygen uptake, heart rate and pulmonary ventilation they found, "Each kilogram of extra weight increases oxygen uptake with 33.5 ml/min, heart rate with 1.1 beats/min and pulmonary ventilation with 0.6 l/min." THAT'S ONE EXTRA KILOGRAM and I have found this to be true, running with fell racers 30kg lighter than me. So HOW did I swim 100km weighing 95kg whilst pulling a 100lbs tree? Firstly, swimming is not so strictly bound by the laws of gravity (plus the tree floats, so drag is the resistance). Secondly, could it be argued my muscle mass is an asset in long-distance swimming simply based on research from the Centre for Human Nutrition at the University of Colorado that claim, "Glycogen (carbohydrate) storage capacity is approximately 15 g/kg body weight." Couple this with an understanding of the energy-yielding properties of fat, perfect biomechanics and a perfect pacing strategy and in theory what you have is the human version of a whale, capable of covering distances previously thought impossible. As you can imagine this gets far more intricate and needs further explaining, but i LOVE how the #GreatBritishSwim is becoming a testing ground for this & proving many of the theories proposed in #TheWorldsFittestBook (order yours through the link in the bio) | Tag friends & together let's change perceptions of our perceived potential

In our opinion, Edgley had already more than backed up this claim. In 2016, he completed the aforementioned ‘World’s Strongest Marathon’, pulling a 1400kg Mini and completing the marathon in 19 hours. 

Edgley has continually pushed the boundaries of human endurance and explored the principles of fitness throughout his career, leading him onto incredible discoveries and the ability to draw upon ancient knowledge with a modern science backing. And whilst his challenges may seem ridiculous to the untrained eye, he has spent months, years, and decades refining his fitness and knowledge, allowing him reach physical peaks previously thought impossible.

rossedgley View Profile
4,853 likes - View Post on Instagram
Swimming fast & swimming strong/safe are very different... This is something I wanted people to takeaway from #StrongmanSwimming as it links directly into the AMAZING work of the @rnli & their #RespectTheWater campaign launching today called #FloatToLive

All going to plan, Edgley hopes to complete the swim in 100 days, swimming in a clockwise direction, for 6 hours each day. He’s not allowed to touch the shore and will only stop to sleep and eat (his own rules).

“It’s the equivalent of swimming the English Channel every day,” explained Ross. "By looking at my swim metrics and comparing them to people who’d rowed around the entirety of Great Britain, I was able to estimate 100 days as a target. Oddly enough, in very bad conditions, my open water swimming times are the same as those of the rowers. A friend of mine named Sean Conway once swam the length of Great Britain in 135 days. I’m looking to do more than double that distance in less time."

rossedgley View Profile
4,995 likes - View Post on Instagram
2 DAYS TO GO #TheWorldsFittestBook Pre Order YOUR copy through the link in the bio :-) Then I will be at @bodypowerexpo from Friday to Sunday doing book signings, talks & SLED DRAG CHAMPIONSHIPS (which was on the training theory of #TheWorldsStrongestMarathon ) The exact schedule for #TheWorldsFittestBookClub and my whereabouts ALL weekend to follow (since I want to meet, hug and eat with EVERYONE who pre ordered to say THANK YOU) :-)

Edgley is leaving nothing to chance on the swim, and has his nutrition, equipment, and support boat fitted out to a tee. An adventure of this size won’t be achieved by accident and Edgley is acutely aware of the dangers he’ll face, and has a solution for them all

"We’re doing it in the spirit of open water swimming – no buoyancy aids, gloves only needed during cold periods. The only advantage I’ll have is a collection of swim suits tailored for estimated weight loss, ranging from full Ross, to emaciated Ross 60 or so days in, when I’ll have shifted a few stone. “

In what might seem like a stroke of sea-sickness, Ross has even been supplementing his swimming with on-boat strength training, to maintain muscle mass and prevent atrophy.

rossedgley View Profile
2,145 likes - View Post on Instagram
Swim Strength Training 😊 ALOT of people asking how I'm keeping so much muscle mass during the #greatbritishswim after watching @redbulluk episode 8 (see link in bio) the answer needs FAR more explaining and is likely a topic for a @lborouniversity lecture BUT the reason for my supplementary strength training is to combat muscular atrophy (deterioration) similar to what astronauts experience that's caused by days at sea doing a non-weight bearing sport! Special thanks to @peonyyknight co-founder of the #peonypushup and my sandbag for the next 60+ days haha

“The reason for my supplementary strength training is to combat muscular atrophy (deterioration) similar to what astronauts experience that’s caused by days at sea doing a non-weight bearing sport,” Edgley explains in a recent Instagram caption.

In the same spirit as Edgley has approached his entire career, the adventure athlete seeks to inspire activity in others through this challenge.

"All going well, my challenge encourages people to do what they love and let Mother Nature take care of your physiology. It’s about being fit for purpose. From an aesthetic perceptive, at the end of the race will my body get on the front of a fitness magazine? Probably not, but will it be a body that will help you swim around Great Britain? I hope so."

With around 60 days left on his journey, we can’t wait to see the mission come full circle. And even more exciting, what Edgley takes on next.

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Scott Henderson
Scott Henderson
Scott is the Editor of Men's Health Australia, where he oversees all editorial content of the country's largest men’s magazine. As a fitness addict, adventure sport lover, and passionate story-teller, Henderson is committed to living the Men’s Health brand.

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